19th Sunday after Pentecost!
World Communion Sunday!
the people finding grace and assurance that
God will go with them after they have been
unfaithful to God in worshipping the golden
calf,
and Moses tells God that they will
only be different if God is
with them.
Function Statement: As a result of this sermon, the congregation
will more fully embrace God's grace,
realizing nothing they have done is too bad
for God's forgiveness and they will realize
we are different because of God's grace!
Introduction:
A. Have you done something as a child and
thought there
was
no way your parents would ever forgive you?
B. Have you ever done something and thought
there is no
way your friend of spouse would forgive you?
C. Have you ever known someone who seemed to
think they
were
too bad to become a Christian: God could never
forgive
them for what they had done?
D. That is the situation of our scripture this
morning.
1. Read Exo. 33:4-5.
a. They had worshipped the golden calf!
Chapter
32
b. The Lord had told them, "I can't come
among
you
or I will destroy you!"
c. So they are mourning because they have
messed up grandly and see no way of ever
coming to God again.
2. That brings us to our scripture for today!
Prayer
Exodus 33:12-17
I. A look at the scripture:
A. Moses is kind of sneaking up on this issue;
he is not
too
sure where he and the people stand either!
1. He says, "Lord you've sent me up to do
this, but
you
haven't said who is going to go with me!"
a. We don't need to get this confused with the
fact
that he asked the Lord to let Aaron go
with
him!
b. That isn't what he is talking about here.
c. He is wanting to know if God will go with
him!
2. "Lord, you have said you know me by name
and I
have
found favor in your sight!"
a. He is warming up to his question.
b. He is reminding God what God has said!
c. Can you feel Moses' reluctance?
3. "Now if I have found favor in your
sight,
(remember
you said I have) show me your ways, so
that
I may know you and find favor in your
sight."
a. Moses makes a very intimate/sincere request:
that
I may know you!
b. That was Paul's desire in the N.T. Remember?
"I
want to know Christ and the power of his
resurrection
and the sharing of his
sufferings
by becoming like him in his
death,
if somehow I may attain the
resurrection of the dead." Phil. 3:10-11
c. That should be our desire too!
1) To know God in Christ!
2) Not just a head knowledge, but an
intimate
knowing! Friend/companion!
d. Then Moses, still sneaking up on the issue,
says,
"Consider too that this nation is your
people."
B. God knows where he is going and meets him
there.
1. Don't worry Moses I will go with you!
2. I will give you rest! Vs.14
C. But Moses still can't believe it!
1. Now if you don't mean this, don't take us a
step
further!
2. I don't want to go without you!
3. We will only be distinct if you go
with us,
remember that word!
D. God reassures Moses, "I will do
everything you have
asked!"
TWO POINTS WE CAN GET FROM THIS SCRIPTURE:
II. God's amazing grace! (Found even in the Old Testament!)
A. The people had messed up royally!
B. We have done that!
1. We all have past sins that we regret!
2. We can't believe we acted like that!
3. Paul calls himself the chiefest of sinners!
C. We still do that!
1. We aren't perfect even yet!
2. The scriptures say, "If we say we have
no sin, we
are
liars!"
C. But God was/is ready to extend grace!
1. God was anxious!
2. God didn't even wait for Moses to get out the
Full question!
3. God knew where he was going!
4. God looks for the heart that is ready to
receive!
a. There isn't a special thing we have to say!
b. There isn't a special thing we have to do!
c. We just open the door of our heart and God
comes
in!
D. That is God's amazing grace! Wow! Amen!
III. God's presence makes us distinct! There is that Word!
A. God makes a difference in our lives that can
be seen.
Moses
realized that even here in the Old Testament!
B. This is a powerful statement!
1. They will know us by our love!
2. They will know us because we are fair with
others!
3. They will know us because we hurt when others
hurt!
4. They will know us because we live like we
have a
purpose!
5. They will know us by . . . . . because we are
distinct!
C. How are we different than others? Because of God!
1. What is the difference between us and a
sniper?
(Besides
the obvious that we are not shooting
people)
a. God!
b. God's grace; it is God that makes the
difference
in our lives! By God's grace we
live
differently!
c. When we forget that, we become proud and
self -absorbed!
d. When we remember that, we are able to accept
others
and extend God's grace!
2. What is
the difference between us and a Terrorist?
a. God!
b. A Terrorist thinks he has God!
c. We think we have God!
d. How will the world know who is right?
1) Will it be because we have built the
biggest
bomb and the greatest military?
2) I suggest it will be when we have gone
the
extra mile in seeking peace and in
helping
others & in loving people.
3) They will know us by our Love!
Conclusion:
A. God's presence makes
us distinct!
Thanks be to God!
B. As we encounter Christ at the table today
with
Christians all over the world on this World
Communion
Sunday, come receive that grace, fully embrace that
grace, that makes us distinct! Realize nothing we
have
done is too bad for God’s forgiving grace! Realize
we
are different because of God’s grace! Yield to that
grace today!
Prayer of
Confession
Service of
Communion
